The National Hockey League imposed a $5,000 penalty on Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov following an illegal hit against Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin during Sunday’s playoff matchup.
The violation took place after play had stopped, with 16 minutes and 43 seconds left on the clock during Boston’s devastating 6-1 defeat at home in the fourth game of their Eastern Conference opening round matchup.
The towering 6-foot-7 Zadorov skated toward Dahlin at center ice and delivered a cross-check to the opposing defenseman’s back, resulting in a five-minute major penalty and ejection from the game.
League officials issued the maximum financial penalty permitted under the current collective bargaining agreement terms.
Buffalo now holds a commanding 3-1 advantage in the playoff series, with the fifth game scheduled for Tuesday evening at their home arena.
The 31-year-old Zadorov has contributed one assist while accumulating 37 minutes in penalties across the four playoff contests. During the regular season, he tallied 22 points through two goals and 20 assists in 81 games, while leading the NHL with 152 penalty minutes.
